One thing no presenter wants to be is monotone. We all know that if there is no vocal variety in your voice, then your audience will fall asleep. Here is one, easy to implement tip.

Actors, singers, and even models know about this tip and now you can use it in your business presentations! When you're preparing for your business presentations, practice speaking with a smile in your cheeks. Yes, that's right, a smile in your cheeks. Not a full smile; you don't need to be shining your pearly whites through out the entire presentation. but something very interesting happens to your voice when you slightly lift up your cheeks when you speak.

You'll be surprised as to how your voice has more "flexibility". Having a small smile in your cheeks also helps with projection. Vocal coaches will tell you that it "brightens" your voice. Having this quality in your voice sends a very strong message to your listeners. Remember, as much as 90% of what we communicate is through our body language and our paralinguistic usage (tone of voice, rhythm, etc.).

When you have a smile in your cheeks, your audience picks up on your confidence and a soothing tone in your voice. This is also very helpful for trial attorneys. When they have a smile in their cheeks, they become more likable to the jury.

When we are nervous, what do we do? Our voice gets softer and our movements diminish because we don't want to make any wrong moves or make a fool out of ourselves. This is the exact opposite of what you should do. When we're nervous, and it shows, our audience will "check out". Whether it's in a staff meeting, at a conference, during a sermon, or opening statements, we need to communicate confidence. A good starting point is by having a smile in your cheeks!

Shari Alexander is the owner of Presenting Matters, a business presentation consulting firm. Recently named the 2007 Magee/Stovall High Impact Emerging Professional Speaker, she works with organizations and individuals to clarify their message and perfect their delivery. She is available for keynotes, seminars, coaching, and consulting. Learn more about her services at http://www.PresentingMatters.com

Source: www.a1articles.com